


Working Out the Issue

by Startedwith1Whisper



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 10:05:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2384345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Startedwith1Whisper/pseuds/Startedwith1Whisper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liz can't get her morning run in because Red called an early and seemingly pointless meeting, so she makes up for it with a Just Dance 4 session in the evening. Problem is, she forgets to lock her door. Red catches her and they engage in a tense/flirtatious back-and-forth. Liz ends up with quite the problematic thoughts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Working Out the Issue

**Author's Note:**

> In my headcanon, Liz knows Red isn't her father. Meera is still alive and occasionally forces Liz to act like a normal human being on their rare downtime.  
> This is sort of a combination of fluff and angst-fluff in that the content is light and there are no major problems and angst in that Liz is wrestling with her feelings and whether or not Red could be a viable sexual/romantic option.  
> Re: "that dumb S&M movie"-the obvious answer is yes, it's a _Secretary _reference. However, I purposely used ambiguous wording so that readers who are so inclined can imagine a fictional movie that only exists in the Blacklistverse and features S &M as part of the plotline, fictional actors who look like Liz and/or Red optional.__

Another long day at the Post Office is finally over. Liz knows she should be used to it, and usually she is, but today was especially hard because she couldn’t get her daily run in this morning. Lucky for her that an Xbox Kinect and Just Dance 4 somehow ( _God, Red, how obvious can you be? And are you watching me through Kinect? I bet you are, you obvious voyeur._ ) showed up in her new apartment a few weeks ago-she can do some dancing tonight to make up for the missed run.

Despite her lingering reservations about Red possibly watching her through Kinect, Liz fires up the Xbox, with the game still inside from when Meera came over last week for a long-overdue girls’ night that had absolutely nothing to do with work, and clicks through the song list. Finally, she decides she can afford a little frivolous fun after the year she’s had, and picks “Gangnam Style.”

The music starts, and she’s ready. Her last thought before the moves start scrolling at the bottom of her screen is _Why is virtual Psy wearing a red zebra-print suit?_ But then they do start, and she copies them and dances away the stress.

The top left corner keeps tracking her progress-mostly "Good” and “Perfect”- but she doesn’t notice until the song’s over. She reads the screen: “Liz-High Score!-4 stars” and even though it’s silly and juvenile, she can’t help basking in the electronic applause- _wait a minute. It’s never been that loud. That sounds too real-and right behind me._

And then- _ugh, why the hell now?!_ -the voice she’s all too familiar with by now is once again purring at her. “Brava, Lizzie. I wouldn’t have pegged you for the Kpop type, but it’s no surprise that you’re light on your feet.”

Liz curses the flush involuntarily burning her face as she mutes the annoying game menu and turns to face him. “Red, you know we all had to come in early today for that stupid logistical meeting. You’re the one who called it for seemingly no reason, considering that we have no active Blacklisters at the moment-”

He smoothly interrupts her. “That was a drill to ensure that we stay sharp for future Blacklisters-"

She’s still mad, though, and she interrupts him back in a slightly sharper version of the same smooth style. “-and as a result of the early meeting, I didn’t have time to go running. I did this to make up for that fitness deficit, not for your viewing pleasure. Now I know to lock my door next time.”

A small smile crosses Red’s face. “Shame. You know, if you ever wish to make up for a fitness deficit, I can help you with that as well. You could spar with Dembe-that would be the fairest fight I've seen in a while-or participate in other aerobic activities with me.”

Here the smile takes on a lecherous twist that Liz is also too familiar with. She steps toward him, hands on hips, and thankfully he takes the hint, backing out into her hall. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lizzie.”

“Good **night,** Red.” Liz puts considerably more venom into her voice than is absolutely needed and watches him disappear down the stairwell. She shuts her door, shaking her head as she turns the lock. _God, why does Red always assume I want to sleep with him?_

Another thought hits her, this one making her slide down the door from the shock of having thought it: _But would that be the worst thing in the world? He’s probably got some tricks, and it might be good! Plus, sex does burn calories…_

She shakes her head more rapidly now, this time to clear it. _Fuck, Meera and I really shouldn’t have watched that dumb S &M movie during girls’ night!_

She continues to blame the movie. It’s easier that way-otherwise she’d have to admit to some things she really wishes would stay buried for as long as possible.


End file.
